Curriculum Vitae
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Dr. Ahmad Alkhawaldh
Rank: Associate professor in English Language Teaching
methodology (TEFL)
(Rank obtained in 2007)
Date of birth:1/1/1960
Marital status: married
Children: 3 children, two sons and a daughter
Residence: Amman, Jubaiha, Alrayan quarter, Adel Halawa street
Building No. 2, left ground flat
E-mail: ahmadalkawaldeh2002@yahoo.com
Qualification
1. Secondary School certificate 1979
2. B.A in English language & Arts 1983/Yarmouk University.
3. M.A in Teaching English language 1994/University of Jordan.
4. Ph.D. in English language education from Liverpool University/
England 2001
5. Title of PhD Dissertation:
(The Tension between Theory and Practice in the Preparation of Foreign
Language Student teachers in Jordan)
6-Title of M.A. thesis: Dictionary Use Strategies in Reading and Writing
in English used by Secondary school students in Jordan
Experiences
1. Teacher of English recruited by Ministry of Education between 19831995 and worked at different schools in Mafraq Governorate (both
primary and secondary schools).
2. Trainer of English language teachers, at Mafraq Directorate of
Education, between 1995-1998.
3. Appointed as an assistant professor in the Department of Curriculum
and Instruction at the University of Jordan in 2001.
4. Promoted to the Rank of an Associate Professor in the Department of
Curriculum & Instruction at the University of Jordan in 2007.
5. Supervision of M.A theses in methods of teaching English & (M. A)
and (PhD) in Curriculum and Instruction ( with special emphasis on
EFL instruction).
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Teaching
Various courses such as methods of teaching English, teaching reading
and writing in English, evaluation of English language learning, 101
AND 102 English for graduate Islamic studies students at the World
Islamic university in Jordan, communication skills (in English), EFL
syllabus design, Issues in English Language learning and teaching ( M.A
level), EFL syllabus design and relevant trends (M.A level), EFL
practical Education, grade teacher practical education, vocational
practical education, study and research skills, introduction to
curriculum& Instruction, curriculum and Instructional methods,
classroom Management, action research, curriculum design&
organization (Ph.D level).
Recent 2009/2010 taught courses: theories of second language learning
and teaching, current trends in second language curricula, teaching oral
skills and academic writing in English.
Other courses include Developing thinking skills among kindergarten
children and Computer in school administration (Summer semester,
2011).
6-Participation in committees in the Faculty of Educational Sciences,
Department of curriculum& Instruction and Ministry of Education
7-Acting as Director of the practical Education Program/ University of
Jordan 2004- 2005.
8- Reappointed as Director of the Practical Education Program in 2007present
9- Heading consultancy committees to develop teacher education
programs at the University of Jordan
10- Heading a committee to prepare for the university qualification exam
administered together with Ministry of Higher Education to measure the
teaching skills of Faculty of Educational Sciences graduates after
finishing the practicum course.
- Teaching various PhD courses at University of Jordan Amman Arab
university for graduate studies in the field of teaching English as a foreign
language in Jordan and the region.
Research articles, books, activities
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Participation in ICDL and Intel courses in the University of
Jordan.
14 published and accepted (articles) for publication on
language teaching, EFL syllabus design, EFL curriculum
evaluation and language teacher education. Among the relevant
language teacher education published articles are the following:
1- English language student teachers as change agents with
reference to the training experience in the University of Jordan
2- EFL student teachers reflections on their accomplishments in the
training course
3- Jordanian EFL student teachers’ views about the contribution of
University and Co-operating school to their initial teacher
education
4- Jordanian English Language teachers’ awareness of language
learning theories and teaching methods
5- EFL student teachers’ views about the roles and responsibilities
of partners in the training program
6- EFL syllabus design and organization from the point of view of
Jordanian English language teachers
7- The professional roles of teacher trainers at the practical
education program at the University of Jordan
Abstracts from published articles
Damascus University Journal, Vol. 24, No1, 2008 Ahmad H. Alkhawaldeh
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The Reflections of Jordanian EFL Student
Teachers on their Instructional Accomplishments in the Practical Education
Programme
Dr. Ahmad H. Alkhawaldeh
Faculty of Education
University of Jordan
Abstract
This study attempted to explore the accomplishments achieved by
(78) EFL student teachers who were taking the practicum courses in the
second semester 2004/2005. To achieve this purpose, an open
questionnaire was used to elicit data from the participants in this study
about their accomplishments in the spheres of classroom management
skills, lesson planning, development and design and production of
instructional aids, instructional methods, the acquisition of interpersonal
skills and finally the evaluation of EFL classroom students' learning. The
results of the study, above all, pointed to the importance of the
practicum.. It was also found out that most of the instructional skills were
acquired by the EFL student teacher gradually as the student teachers
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advance in the practicum. As far as classroom management skills were
concerned, their acquisition was linked to the nature of the classroom, its
size; relationships with EFL classroom students, quality of instruction
and nature of teaching methods adopted by the student teacher. In the
The Reflections of Jordanian EFL Student Teachers on their Instructional .........
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sphere of lesson planning, the student teachers discovered, through lesson
planning, the importance of new teaching methods and media and aids as
well as the importance of the lesson plan itself. In the acquisition of
interpersonal skills, student teachers in this study pointed to the
importance of establishing links with practitioners in the co-operating
school and the significance of such interpersonal skills in solving
problems classroom students encountered. Also, the results pointed out
that student teacher's development of the interpersonal skills was
transferable to classroom students themselves in becoming willing to
work together through co-operative learning activities. As to subject
matter mastery, the responses of the student teachers varied who pointed
to the need to have further links between university courses and school
syllabuses and to give more specialization courses to these student
teachers while several of them said that there was no problem with this
competency.
The researcher recommended the importance of following up and
monitoring the training of the student teachers in the pre-service
programmes to ensure both the quality of such programmes and the
extent of their contribution to the development of the instructional skills
required to practice the teaching profession.
Supervision
Supervising several M.A. theses and PhD dissertations on English
language teaching and Curriculum and Instruction in the Faculty of
Educational Sciences in the University of Jordan and at Amman Arab
University for Graduate Studies
Foci of supervised M.A theses:
- EFL lesson planning
- EFL Curriculum Evaluation
- Role of parents in the development of their children’s ability in
Reading
- Relationship between anxiety and language learning
- Listening comprehension strategies
- Vocabulary language learning and teaching as embedded in the
formal and implemented EFL curriculum
- Critical and creative skills embedded in the EFL formal and
implemented curriculum
- Supervision of 6 PhD and M.A TEFL theses at Amman Arab
university for graduate studies
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- Supervision and examining of PhD theses in TEFL of more than 20
dissertations at the University of Jordan and Amman Arab
university for Graduate Studies.
- Chairing several PhD dissertations and theses examination
committees.
International articles
1- Two article accepted for publication by the College Student
Journal (CSJ) entitled ( the challenges faced by Jordanian
language teachers in Amman 1st and 2nd directorates of Education)
while another on reading comprehension in English
2- Publishing an article on reading in English in Reading
improvement journal
3- Publishing a paper on EFL learner autonomy in Education as an
international journal
4- A paper on EFL learner autonomy accepted and presented at Paris
2nd international conference 2010
5- A paper on reading interests among Jordanian secondary students
sent accepted for publication in the reading improvement journal
6- A paper on reading challenges among high school students in
Jordan was accepted for publication by college student journal
7- An article on EFL learner autonomy was accepted for publication
by EDUCATION
The challenges faced by Jordanian
English language teachers at Amman 1st
and 2nd Directorates of Education
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College Student Journal, Dec, 2010 by Ahmad
Alkhawaldeh
This study surveyed the types of challenges EFL teachers encountered in Amman 1st
and 2nd Directorates of Education via a questionnaire to which three open questions
were attached. The sample consisted of 125 EFL teachers who were randomly chosen
from the above directorates of education. By using the appropriate statistical
measures, the findings of the study brought massive challenges, various factors behind
them and different solutions the participants suggested to sort them out. Among these
challenges were the arousing of students' interest to learn English, big classroom size,
low achievement in English by students, covering the EFL curriculum within the
allotted span of time irrespective of students' level in English and absence of
educational preparation of teachers who graduate from the English department and the
gap between pre-service preparation of EFL teachers and the actual teaching practice
in the classroom. Similar findings were confirmed in the participating teachers'
responses to the open questions in this study with challenges such as weakness in
English, students' negative attitudes towards English, classroom size, variation in
students' achievement in English, private lessons students take in private centers and
the associated difference in instructional methods between school and these private
centers, inability of students to communicate in English, lack of training teachers on
modern technology and the lack of parental follow up of their children's English
language learning were top on the challenges list.
Key words: challenges of English language teachers, language learning and teaching,
EFL teacher training
FindArticles / Reference / College Student Journal / June, 2011
The professional needs of English
language teachers at Amman 1st and
2nd directorates of education
by Ahmad Alkhawaldeh
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This study surveyed the professional needs of a randomly chosen 125 English
language teachers from Amman (1st and 2nd) directorates of education. By using a
close questionnaire, the study revealed different professional needs demanded by EFL
teachers which embodied the need for effective organization of the EFL curriculum
and welcoming teachers' remarks on it, securing instructional media and facilities for
effective English language instruction, raising students' motivation and attitudes
towards English language, the need for training courses to mix with native English
speaking communities, the need to use appropriate EFL teaching methods, the need to
understand the EFL teacher's new roles and the necessity of effective in-service
training of English language teachers. The study also highlighted the need to get
teachers of English to engage in collaborative learning and be open to critical
evaluation of their teaching, to raise their motivation to teach and to provide them
with teaching labs to promote natural language learning, reducing class size and the
use of co-operative learning and autonomous learning, basing EFL curriculum on the
actual needs of students as well as considering their societal and cultural frames.
Further, parents should be contacted and their attitudes and those of their children
towards learning English should be investigated. Finally, teachers of English should
use a wide variety of teaching methods that address the various needs of school
students and match their multiple learning styles abandoning, at the same time,
traditional methods of teaching.
Key words: professional needs of foreign language teachers, foreign/second language
instruction
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European Journal of Social Sciences – Volume 25, Number 2 (2011)
260
The Contribution of Reading Comprehension to
Writing Skill Development in English among
University Students in Jordan
Ahmad Alkhawaldeh
University of Jordan, Faculty of Educational Sciences
E-mail: ahmadalkhawaldeh2002@yahoo.com
Abstract
This study examined the relationship between EFL reading comprehension and the writing performance among
University of Jordan sophomore students by using reading comprehension to inform writing composition among
university students. While developing their writing along side with related reading material, 60 university students
responded to an open questionnaire and reflected on the relationship between these two skills. The results of this
study confirmed the relationship between these two skills highlighting the contribution of reading comprehension
to students' writing style, vocabulary needed in the writing task, general ideas students needed, besides providing a
background knowledge to them to write their compositions together with the provision with linking words and
using the reading text to check spelling of students' writing. The study revealed that students' benefit from the
reading text was conditioned by the student's level of achievement where it was noticed that high achieving
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students scantly referred to the reading text while, in contrast, low achieving students relied more on it. Less
contribution of the reading passage was noticed with respect to the specific ideas students used in writing, but there
was a positive impact pertaining paragraph development and the structure of the topic as well as beginning and end
of the composition. Some participants revealed difficulties in this relationship which embodied the idea that the
writing style of the reading
passage is difficult for them to understand. They also mentioned that some of the reading passages are difficult.
They reflected on the lack of familiarity with scientific reading passages and that excessive reliance on the reading
text and its vocabulary items limits their writing. The study highlighted the provision with reading texts to be as
models to the students to emulate especially for low ability writing students. In their composition writing, EFL
instructors should be trained on how to alert university students to effectively benefit from the reading text.
Keywords: EFL reading, writing, relationship between reading and writing
European Journal of Social Sciences – Volume 25, Number 2 (2011)
Conferences
1- Participating and giving a presentation in the fifth international conference
on language, literature and culture held at Minia University at Egypt 2005
2- Participation and giving a presentation in the fifth international conference:
CARLA Language Teacher Education Conference 2007 at the university of
Minnesota/ USA.
3- Representing the university of Jordan in a conference held in Aqaba 2008
about school-based training and participating in the sessions of this
conference
4- Submitting and presenting a research paper on bridging the cultural gap
between mother culture and English culture in English language education
5- A paper on EFL learner autonomy accepted and presented at Paris 2nd
international conference 2010
Examining committees
Examining several M.A theses and PhD Dissertations in different spheres in
English language teacher education, language learning and teaching, syllabus
design and other relevant field both at the university of Jordan and Amman
Arab university for graduate studies.
Chairing a session in a conference held at Zerka private university 2008 which
handled new visions in teacher education.
External examiner
Acting as an external examiner of several M.A and PhD theses and dissertation
in Jordanian universities on linguistics and English language teaching at
Yarmouk university, Mutah university, Amman Arab university and Middle
East University.
National projects
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Representing the University of Jordan in a project investigating the levels of
literacy in Jordan and compare it with other countries called the LAMP project
administered by the national center for human resources development.
Contact with local community
1. Together with a colleague from the English department, we gave a workshop
to EFL teachers to put forward a perspective on the reasons behind school
students' weakness in English in the District of Jerash / north of Jordan.
2. Giving Consultation, advice, guidance to practicing teachers in the field.
3. Participation in committees for M.A. theses
4. Giving consultation to in EFL graduate students.
Refereeing
- Refereeing for specialized journals articles on EFL teaching and training.
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Refereeing informally a number of articles on English language teaching
and learning by colleagues in different universities.
Refereeing an article for the 2nd conference of graduate students' research
at the University of Jordan
- Assessor for Queen Rania teacher award 2011-06-15
Invitation to Arab journals referring
- Refereeing an article for a staff member at Tabouk university/ KSA
- Refereeing an article to Damascus university educational journal
Invitation to international journals refereeing
- Referring for an international journal called ' Teaching and
Teacher Education' Journal published at Amsterdam in the
Netherlands.
- Listed among the Editorial board and executive peer reviewers
of the international online journal for social sciences
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ISSN:1309-2707
E-Mail
Password :
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Editors
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Dr. Hasan Basri Gündüz (Yıldız Teknik University,
Turkey)
Dr. İsmail Önder (Sakarya University, Turkey)
Dr. Şenol Beşoluk (Sakarya University, Turkey)
Editorial Board
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Dr. Ahmad Alkhawaldeh (University of Jordan, Jordan)
Dr.
Cyprus)
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Ahmet Pehlivan (Cyprus International University, Turkish Republic of Northern
Ahmet Şimşek (Sakarya University, Turkey)
Ali ilker Gümüşeli (Yıldız Teknik University, Turkey)
Anne Conway (University of Michigan, United States of America)
Atilla Cavkaytar (Anadolu University, Turkey)
Aytekin İşman (Sakarya University, Turkey)
Bayram Çetin (Gaziantep University, Turkey)
Cengiz Akçay (Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Turkey)
Christopher A. Lubienski (University of Illinois, United States of America)
Craig Berg (The University of Iowa, United States of America)
Ercan Masal (Sakarya University, Turkey)
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America)
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Erdoğan Usta (Gaziosmanpaşa University, Turkey)
Eric Zhi feng liu (National Central University, Taiwan)
Ezendu Ariwa (London Metropolitan University, United Kingdom)
Fatos Silman (Near East University, Cyprus)
Feryal Cubukcu (Dokuz Eylül University, Turkey)
François victor Tochon (University of Wisconsin-Madison, United States of
Gregory M. Hauser (Roosevelt University, United States of America)
Hasan Unal (Yıldız Teknik University, Turkey)
jacinta Agbarachi Opara (Federal College of Education(Technical),, Nigeria)
Luis Huerta (New Mexico State University, United States of America)
M.Durdu Karslı (Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Turkey)
Maria Tsouroufli (University of York, United Kingdom)
Metin Başarır (Sakarya University, Turkey)
Mualla Bilgin Aksu (Akdeniz University, Turkey)
Murat Altun (Uludağ University, Turkey)
Mustafa Ozbilgin (University of East Anglia, United Kingdom)
Nabi bux Jumani (International Islamic University, Pakistan)
Nazan Bilgel (Uludağ University, Turkey)
Nevzat Kavcar (Dokuz Eylül University, Turkey)
Ozcan Demirel (Hacettepe University, Turkey)
Patrizia Ghislandi (Trento, Italy)
Semire Dikli (Georgia Gwinnett College, United States of America)
Songül Kilimci (Uppsala University, Sweden)
Ugur Demiray (Anadolu University, Turkey)
Ümit Davaslıgil (Maltepe University, Turkey)
Vlasta Hus (University of Maribor, Slovenia)
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Promotion committee membership
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participating in a committee to promote a staff member in English
language education in an Arab university to the rank of an associate
professor
Invited to international conferences Louisiana conference
International Associations Membership
1- International Reading Association ( IRA)
2- Arab professors of English society ( APETAU)
3- Reviewer to the teaching and teacher education journal published
in the Netherlands
Directing research projects
A project titled: Improving reading comprehension among secondary
students in Jordan has which has received initial acceptance with a teach
of specialists headed by me as the premier author.
Writing on issues in EFL instruction in Jordanian Newspapers
- An essay entitled the EDUCATIONAL LINK appeared in the
Jordan times
- Another essay entitled OF EDUCATION appeared in the JORDAN
TIMES April 12, 2011.
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Local
More than any time before, the Ministry of Education and universities need to
engage in shared educational partnerships.
Region
The classical relationship between universities and the Ministry of Education
has been manifesting in a restricted form since the two parties have not
reached a shared vision that could serve both. The ministry has always claimed
it could do the business of managing and leading the school education in the
country alone, without interference from universities. Universities, on their
part, satisfied themselves with university education and doing some research is
rarely, if at all, applied in the field of education.
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I suggest a rethink of the relationship. Academics need to do research that is
based on the needs of the educational field and the ministry’s needs. This
should be later used to take serious and courageous decisions based on the
bulk of data used for this reason.
University professors need to be linked through different educational
directorates, for example, with schools, to know their needs, challenges and
aspirations and, accordingly, provide necessary consultations to improve the
instructional process.
School people and ministry supervisors need to be involved in higher
education by providing successful stories of teaching and supervision, and
should accept having their experience challenged by researchers and university
professors, to attain progress in both school and university education.
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Finally, the suggested partnership should be based on the educational, social
and economic bases to reform education both at school and higher education
levels.
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Ahmad Alkhawaldeh,
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University of Jordan,
Amman
9 February 2010
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